1. Field of the Invention
The invention pertains to a surge arrester having looped clamping elements.
2. Discussion of Background
The invention refers in this connection to a prior art such as emerges, for example, from EP 0,335,480 B1. A surge arrester described in this prior art contains a plurality of nonlinear resistor elements with varistor behavior, which are stacked one above another and arranged between two power connection fittings. A winding led around the resistor elements and a portion of the connection fittings and made from nonconductive material clamps the connection fittings and the resistor elements while forming a force which acts in an axial manner. This force is required to form a current path, which must conduct high currents briefly given the occurence of surge. A cast housing made from a weather-resistant plastic surrounds the resistor elements, the winding and the predominant portion of the connection fittings.
The production of such a surge arrester is expensive, since the resistor elements are accommodated in a plastic tube and since the application of the winding is, in addition, relatively complicated.